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Not Yet Great Taylor

Heck, had Hopkins put the pressure on sooner he would have pulled
out the darn fight. In the early going he simply gave away rounds looking for a one punch knockout. Hopkins isn't Ray Robinson or Tommie Hearns. Then again it seemedÂ Taylor was never the same after he got the cut aboveÂ his head. He was more defensive and less aggressive after the second clash of heads

I had no problem with Jermaine Taylor getting the nod over Bernard Hopkins this past Saturday. The scores of 115-113,115-113 for Taylor and 116-112 score that Hopkins received, no problem here. Heck, had Hopkins put the pressure on sooner he would have pulled out the darn fight. In the early going he simply gave away rounds looking for a one punch knockout. Hopkins isn't Ray Robinson or Tommie Hearns.

Then again it seemed Taylor was never the same after he got the cut above his head. He was more defensive and less aggressive after the second clash of heads. You have to take your hat off to him for not going down when it seemed Hopkins had him all set to fall, but he stood tall. And that is why he got the needed points to win. But then again if you had called it a draw or Hopkins by the slim margin Taylor got to win, no problem here.

But I thought Taylor did win the bout. What I didn't see was greatness. Hopkins has never had it or is great. Great record, which is the extent of his greatness. Beating an overrated, unprepared Felix Trinidad and a smaller Oscar De La Hoya doesn't earmark one for greatness.

Hopkins is a great pro and talker not an all-time great fighter. Ray Robinson, Emile Griffith, Rodrigo Valdez, Carlos Monson, Iran Barkley, Roberto Duran, Ray Leonard and Tommie Hearns all would beat Hopkins and with ease. And I didn't even mention Jake LaMotta, Marvin Hagler and Dick Tiger. More sure shot winner over Hopkins.

Lou DiBella, whom I respect and love is one of the class acts of boxing--he said Jermaine Taylor is destined for greatness. I didn't see it Saturday my friend. Maybe the rematch will show it but it didn't manifest itself Saturday. Saw some heart and courage, but no greatness. The only unquestioned greatness that I did see over the weekend was on the golf course. Tiger Woods, now that's greatness.

Plus the team that plays in the Bronx, took 3 out 4 from their hated foes on the road. And Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera did display why they and their famous team are great. But nobody wearing boxing gloves this past weekend showed the "doctah" here any greatness. The best fighter in the world pound for pound, Floyd Mayweather Jr., told the world while being interviewed prior to the big fight.

That he has no problem traveling to England to fight. Greatness, and he didn't even have any boxing gloves on. Ring Rosin: "Sugar" Ray Robinson was 77-0 as a welterweight before he got his first title shot. Robinson never lost a fight as a welterweight. Roberto Duran was 72-1 when he fought Sugar Ray Leonard the first time, 25 years ago. Both Muhammad Ali(Then Cassius Clay) and Floyd Patterson won their Olympic gold medals as light-heavyweights. Which was the weight class Bernard Hopkins started his boxing career in. He also lost his first pro fight. His last lost prior to last Saturday was 11 years ago to Roy Jones Jr.

TRUST*IN*GOD*

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